After teaching philosophy and theology in her twenties, Susan Sontag decided to devote herself full time to writing. At age 30, she published her first book, an experimental novel called The Benefactor (1963). Her short story, “The Way We Live Now,” was published in The New Yorker in 1986 and was very well received. She later achieved popular success as a best-selling novelist with The Volcano Lover (1992), and at age 67, published her final novel, In America (2000). Ms. Sontag died in New York City on December 28, 2004. More about this author >